From next month there could be a new way to get essential items onboard vessels as Wilhelmsen Ships Service and Airbus launch their drone service.
The new venture, Agency by Air, will take off in Singapore’s Marina South Pier during November, Wilhelmsen said, as it courts companies to register their interest for the delivery service.
According to a new promotional video, the service will “revolutionise shore-to-ship deliveries”.
Interest piqued
The questions on social media are already coming in thick and fast.
Interested parties are curious about weight limitations for the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)’s payloads and its cost-effectiveness. Other concerns are insurance and onboard safety.
Agency by Air will kick off by testing the delivery of documents, spare parts and “3-D printed consumables on demand”, Wilhelmsen said.
Parcels are loaded onto a Skyways UAV that navigates autonomously along pre-determined pathways called aerial corridors.
Vessels are notified of the drone's arrival and flights are monitored from a control centre.
According to Wilhelmsen Ships Service, the system has the potential to lower shore-to-ship delivery costs by up to 90%, to reduce packages' carbon footprint and mitigate the risk of accidents associated with boat deliveries.
